Have online comment sections become 'a joke'?

www.cnn.com...

In the early days of the Internet, there was hope that the unprecedented tool for global communication would lead to thoughtful sharing and discussion on its most popular sites.

A decade and a half later, the very idea is laughable, says Gawker Media founder Nick Denton.

"It didn't happen," said Denton, whose properties include the blogs Gawker, Jezebel, Gizmodo, io9 and Lifehacker. "It's a promise that has so not happened that people don't even have that ambition anymore.

"The idea of capturing the intelligence of the readership -- that's a joke."

Denton was speaking at South by Southwest Interactive, the annual festival here devoted to Web and digital culture.

He said that commenting on his own sites (which he's seen make reporters cry) has gotten so bad that he doesn't engage.

"I don't like going into the comments. ... For every two comments that are interesting -- even if they're critical, you want to engage with them -- there will be eight that are off-topic or just toxic," he said.

And as sites get more popular, it's harder to control the comments, which inevitably get nastier.

We all know it's true. We've seen it on this site - posters whose main purpose is to mock or disrupt.

It seems that what started out as a great intellectual endeavor in the exchange of ideas, has degraded into - at best - adolescent pranking and - at worse - hate-filled bile.

I also find myself thinking of this article in terms of SOPA and PIPA. If the government isn't successful in curbing the free exchange of ideas - the corporate interests will do it just to limit the amount of hatefulness and shenanigans that goes on.

What really struck me was the idea of removing anonymity to participate in the sites or limiting the number of people who can participate, with only those who are allowed being "experts".

Sadly it all seems just like high school...a few obnoxious people getting everyone in trouble.

With privilege comes responsibility.

Its because the internet for the most part is anonymous, if you had to get a license card wiht your face and name and join every chat channel as yourself, NONE of what the internet has become would have gone the way it did.

Im not saying i think its good or bad, i take it as it is today.

Life has repercussions for comments and thoughts, internet anonymity does not.

SNL had a great sketch about this....

Internet Comments Talk Show

Basically they were making fun of anonymous people who post crap on comment sections that add nothing to whatever the article is....I found it incredibly true.

For example, one of the guests was a person who posted political comments no matter what the article was about I have seen this done often.....

Another example is the person who doesnt even read the article yet comments anyways so true....

I wish they had covered the "meet rich men here" comments that are left on nearly every single comment section around the net

reply to post by KillerQueen


Not that I condone trolling, but it's equally pathetic to read comments and then complain about them as if you're incapable of not reading them.

Many sites may have become a lot more casual.

I joke sometimes but other times I am serious. If there are posts that are too silly I just ignore the post.

When did the world become so serious?

By telling a person they can't make a comment even if it's sarcastic or silly is censorship in my mind.

reply to post by imherejusttoread





I'm sorry, but that argument is just specious. The point is on-line discussion. How can that happen without reading the replies? How else do you know something is absurd or hateful unless you read it? Unfortunately you can read through pages and pages of ridiculous and juvenile comments to get to one quality post.

To be fair it does depend largely on the type of site you visit. I visit lots of art and design sites and most seem to be very sensible and helpful in those online communities. ATS on the other hand does attract less sensible people with headlines about mutant aliens on their homepage.

Youtube comments are the lowest forms of human communication

reply to post by greeneyedleo

Another example is the person who doesnt even read the article yet comments anyways

What articles?

There are articles?





You see that was kinda funny.

Originally posted by KillerQueen
reply to post by imherejusttoread

 

I'm sorry, but that argument is just specious. The point is on-line discussion. How can that happen without reading the replies? How else do you know something is absurd or hateful unless you read it? Unfortunately you can read through pages and pages of ridiculous and juvenile comments to get to one quality post.

Then you have to take the good with the bad, or be smarter with who you're wishing to engage. If there are pages and pages of bad comments then chances are that's not a site with much intellectual stimulation going on and perhaps it's time to find better venues.

But the point was that no one's forcing you to read them, and if you do, well, the consequences dictate you may find unfavorable comments.

reply to post by stewiegriffin


Thank you for the illustrative point.

Ats is ok imo, well aslong as you ignore the war mongerers and religious fanatics.

The problem i find is people who talk sheeet and have no interest in what they are commenting on and those who talk even more sheeet, but really dumb sheeet in order to make us conspiracy theorists look crazy.

Thank you for the illustrative point.

reply to post by KillerQueen


You are so welcome!

Besides the little SNL video the mod posted this is a pretty stuffy thread.

You can add me as a friend if you like then we can chat more often.

Originally posted by RealSpoke
Youtube comments are the lowest forms of human communication

Agreed completely, try to say anything rational and you'll have more trolls responding then anyone else. Their typical response is mostly "Shut up, your stupid" followed by a few expletives.

I typically ignore them as their arguments show their I.Q. and I hate arguing with children or adults who still think like one.

I used to post on AOL but since they got Huffo, well the comments are skewed and regulated.
Been to Fox also, of course, conservative leaning but at least they still let you post. Sometimes I still get a kick out of reading them and posting on Huffo to raise some liberal feathers.
That was one of the reasons that led me here anyway. The arguments can get heated but most people stay on topic and usually post something relevant.

maybe if we didn't give computers out to just anyone, a lot of that useless banter would die out because there would be no one who reads it and cares enough to respond, and no one dumb enough would be on the computer in the first place to spread the troll fuel around

Originally posted by stewiegriffin
Many sites may have become a lot more casual.

I joke sometimes but other times I am serious. If there are posts that are too silly I just ignore the post.

When did the world become so serious?

By telling a person they can't make a comment even if it's sarcastic or silly is censorship in my mind.

I agree with this. At times I can be quite serious about a given matter, at other times, sarcastic, mischievous, or cheeky. Depends on my mood really.

Having said that, I do think the "internet" has created a whole new generation of folks with shorter attention spans. Its all ME ME NOW NOW
It's always easier to be a jerk and froth at the mouth than be a critical thinker/compassionate, etc. The Internet has definitely proven which of those human qualities it has fostered.

For a satirical view of how this may play out long term, watch the film "Idiocracy"

www.youtube.com...

maybe if we didn't give computers out to just anyone

reply to post by yourmaker


Who gave you a computer? Where's mine? Do you have my computer?

I think humour can add to the topics dimension.

Rather than regurgitate facts, points, and counter-points, humour can convey an emotional depth to any given topic.

Just my two yuks!

Originally posted by stewiegriffin

maybe if we didn't give computers out to just anyone

reply to post by yourmaker

 

Who gave you a computer? Where's mine? Do you have my computer?

My Aunt.

In your living room.

No.